1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the cutting tool art and more particularly to an improved cartridge insert arrangement for a rotary cutting tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rotary cutting tools are, of course, very well known in the art. Such cutting tools as milling machines, lathes, boring tools, planing tools etc. have long been utilized in the material shaping field. Such cutting tools generally have one or more cutting inserts mounted thereon and rotation of the cutting tool causes the cutting insert to engage the workpiece and cut a predetermined amount of material therefrom. In such cutting tools, many are provided with means for adjusting the position of the cutting insert with respect to a nominal or "zero" plane. Where more than one cutting insert is utilized on the tool it is desirable to have all of the cutting inserts adjusted to the same position with respect to the zero plane. Such adjustment, of course, is also desired in cutting tools in which only a single cutting insert is provided.
Such adjustments in the past have generally not provided the degree of accuracy that is desired. For example, in some rotary cutting tools the cutting inserts in their mounting cartridges could only be adjusted when removed from the cutting tool. In others, the cartridges could only be adjusted to .+-.0.0002 inches. This comparatively large tolerance far exceeds that which is desired in many applications.
Additionally, in many applications it is also desired to provide adjustment of the cutting insert or inserts towards and away from the center line of rotation of the cutting tool. Many cutting tools did not have any such radial adjustment capability and, with those that do, the tolerance range for such radial adjustments was often no better than the abovementioned 0.0002 inches achieved for the so called axial adjustments towards and away from the zero plane.
Additionally, in some machining operations it is desired that the cutting insert of the cutting tool remain stationary with respect to its own center line. That is, it is preferred that the only rotation be provided by the rotation of the cutting tool and that the cutting insert is stationary or fixed with respect thereto. In other machining operations it is desired that the cutting insert also rotate about its own axis during the rotation of the cutting tool about the cutting tool axis. Heretofore there has not in general been provided a completely satisfactory cutting tool arrangement in which both a fixed cutting insert or a rotating cutting insert may be installed and interchanged as desired for particular machining operations. Further, it is often desired to change the physical size of the cutting insert depending upon the maching operation being performed. Cutting tools heretofore available have, in general, not been able to accept cutting inserts of more than one size.
In many of the heretofor available cutting tools, it has been a comparatively time consuming task to make the necessary adjustment of the cutting insert or inserts towards and away from the zero plane and or comparatively complex cartridge arrangements for holding the cutting insert have been utilized with the consequent increase in cost and reliablity associated with larger numbers of components.
Therefore, there has long been a need for an improved cartridge assembly for a cutting insert in a rotary cutting tool that provides a high degree of precision in adjustment of the cutting insert, such adjustments may be quickly and easily made while the cutting insert is installed on the cutting tool both rotating and fixed cutting inserts may be utilized interchangably, and that a comparatively small number of parts be utilized in order to provide a higher degree of reliability.